Saskatchewan Legislative Building

The Saskatchewan Legislative Building is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and houses the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. It is an important place where leaders make decisions for the province of Saskatchewan. The building is known for its beautiful design and plays a key role in the government of the area. People often visit it to learn about how their local government works and to see its impressive architecture.

History

The Saskatchewan Legislative Building was built between 1908 and 1912 in the Beaux-Arts style. It was designed by Edward and William Sutherland Maxwell from Montreal. The building’s construction began in autumn 1908, and the cornerstone was laid in 1909 by the governor general of Canada, the Earl Grey. In 1912, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, who was serving as governor general, officially opened the building.

The original plan was to use red brick for the exterior, but this was changed to Manitoba Tyndall stone, which added to the building’s cost. The total cost ended up being $1.75 million when it opened in October 1912. Later, in 1965, a major renovation and restoration project began and took fourteen years to finish.

Characteristics

The carpet in the legislative chamber used to be red, but in 2012 it was changed to green. Usually, elected members have blue or green carpets, but Walter Scott liked red, so for a long time, Saskatchewan was one of only two places in Canada with red carpet in its legislative chamber.

The building was designed to hold many people, but it has never been filled to capacity. Even after big election wins, there has always been enough space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, desks were arranged differently to keep people safe, so some government members sat on the other side of the speaker for a short time.

The Saskatchewan Legislative Building is located at 2405 Legislative Drive, Regina, with beautiful views of Wascana Lake. Free tours are available during the week.

Significance

The Saskatchewan Legislative Building and its grounds were named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2005. It is also protected as a Provincial Heritage Property under the Heritage Property Act.

An important piece of history is kept in the building's library: a table used during a big meeting in Quebec City in 1864. Part of the table was cut off so it could fit into a smaller room while the current legislative building was being built.

Statues at Legislature

Current statues

A statue of Queen Elizabeth II riding her favorite horse, Burmese, stands in front of the building. This statue was placed there in 2005. The horse was originally raised in Saskatchewan.

On the east side of the building, there is a fountain that came from London's Trafalgar Square. The other fountain from that square is now in Ottawa at Confederation Park. The fountain at the legislative building is made of Peterhead granite. There is also a Saskatchewan War Memorial on the grounds.

Removed statue